Can Chris Tague continue to balance the duties of assemblyman and chairman of the Schoharie County Republican Committee?
Mr. Tague thinks he can. Knows he can, in fact.
Mr. Tague was vice chair of the committee when longtime Chairman Lew Wilson died last August. Committee members later voted Mr. Tague, who was also the Schoharie town supervisor, as chairman.
This past April, Mr. Tague won a special election for the 102nd Assembly District seat, defeating Democrat Aidan O’Connor. Mr. Tague then stepped down as Schoharie supervisor.
Now, not only must he juggle the jobs of assemblyman and chairman, Mr. Tague will face Mr. O’Connor in the general election in November, so he must run his own campaign, too.
“I don’t see where it would hurt,” Mr. Tague said, referring to the two positions. “I’ve proved my whole life that I’m a hard worker.”
An effective staff in the assembly and dedicated volunteers in the Republican Party also make the jobs easier, Mr. Tague added.
But if it turns out he can’t fill both positions well, Mr. Tague knows which way he’ll go.
“The assembly is the top priority,” he said. “If I feel chairman is too demanding, I’ll step down.
“But to think that physically and mentally I can’t do both is wrong.”
Mr. Tague pointed out that he resigned his job with Cobleskill Stone Products––where he worked 26 years––after winning the assembly seat.
“Most senators and assemblymen have other jobs…lawyers or running a company,” Mr. Tague said.
“I resigned my job, so I should be able to continue as chairman.”